Elise

by Bobbi Smith

  "She wanted me to escort her to a Wild West show that's coming to town next week. I told her no." He took a step even nearer, wanting to take Elise in his arms yet struggling to fight down the urge, for he knew they could be interrupted at any time.

  "I'm glad," she said in a low voice.

  "So am I." He grinned at her. "There's only one woman I want to be alone with in my office with the door shut. You don't suppose we could-?"

  He glanced suggestively toward the outer office and Andy.

  "I'm sure Andy would think something was wrong," she whispered back.

  Trace looked up again, and right then he couldn't see Andy anywhere. In a daring move, he backed Elise one more step farther out of sight of the outer office and swept her up in a heated embrace. His mouth covered hers in a passionate, dominating kiss that lasted only a few seconds but left them both breathless in its wake. They stared at each other, amazed by the power of their need.

  "I liked being in Canyon Creek better," she said regretfully.

  "You're not the only one," he growled, aching to hold her close again.

  Elise was tempted to throw caution to the wind and go back into his arms, but instead she started from the office. "I'd better go help Andy. The sooner we get done, the sooner..." She gave him a hopeful look.

  Trace followed her to help. He wanted to speed things up, too.

  They went to press within the hour and had copies on the street by late that afternoon.

  It was a long two days' ride for Will, but he finally reached Durango late in the afternoon. Things had gone smoothly for him in Eagle Pass. No one had questioned his need to take a week off. When asked where he was going, he'd deliberately been evasive, and he'd been glad when no one had pursued the question. He wanted to slip into Durango unnoticed, take care of his unfinished business, and head back home.

  Will knew there was no better place to find out what was going on in a town than the saloons, so he stopped at the first one he saw. After two drinks, he grew frustrated, though, for no one there had heard of Gabriel West. He left that establishment and rode farther, stopping finally at another saloon called the High Time.

  "Whiskey," Will told the bartender as he strode up to the bar.

  "You're new in town, ain't you?" the bartender asked, making conversation as he poured the drink.

  "Just passing through," he answered easily. "Kind of a quiet town you got here."

  "Yep, and we like it that way. Biggest excitement we got going right now is that Weston's Wild Texas Stampede is in town and next week some royalty is going to pay us a visit."

  "Royalty?"

  "Yeah, the Star newspaper reported it first that some English lord and lady will be coming through. I don't care one way or the other, but some of the folks are getting all excited about it."

  "You ever head of a man name of West? Gabriel West?"

  "Yeah, he's the new editor of that newspaper, the Star. Why? Do you know him?"

  "A friend of mine told me to look him up while I was here."

  "Well, the office is just a couple of streets over. You can probably find him around there, if you've a mind."

  "Thanks."

  Will downed his whiskey and signaled for another. He took his time with the second drink. The later it was, the better. He didn't want any witnesses when he went after Trace.

  When he finally strode from the saloon, Will's mood was determined. He mounted up and rode toward the newspaper office, wanting to check out the area and see just how busy it was.

  The streets of Durango were quiet this night, and Will was glad. He located the Star's office without too much trouble and rode slowly past it. There were lights on, and he could see several people moving around inside.

  Will's smile was savage. With any luck, one of them would be Trace Jackson. He kept on riding, disappearing around a corner, where he reined in and dismounted. He moved quietly down the alley that ran behind the office, wanting to assess all the avenues of escape. Once he was satisfied that he would be able to get away without incident, he led his horse to an area near the back of the office and tied it up there. Then he strolled back to the front of the building. He stayed out of sight, but managed to look in the window. Inside he saw a young man, a very pretty young woman, and another bespectacled man wearing a suit and bow tie. Where the hell was Trace?

  Will frowned, then for some reason glanced back at the man wearing glasses. In that instant, he realized it was Trace in disguise. Obviously when he'd taken the name Gabriel West, he'd also taken on a new way of dressing.

  Will smiled again. He was ready now. Ideally, he would like to follow Trace home and confront him away from other people, but he was going to do whatever was necessary. He'd waited too long for this moment. He was going to show Matt Harris that he was capable of taking care of things for him and that he was worth every penny the man paid him.

  Will stayed in the dark cover of the shadows, watching and waiting.

  Elise sighed happily as she looked up at Andy and Trace. "I think we've got all the arrangements made for my grandmother and George."

  "And they're really willing to do this?" Trace asked again.

  "Oh, yes. They're very excited about helping us out."

  Trace nodded. "Then all we have to do is to meet with Marshal Trent and set up the best way to work with him and his deputies to guard their `precious jewels' while they're staying at the hotel. It's too late to go find him tonight, but I'll plan on meeting with the marshal first thing in the morning."

  "I'll go with you," Elise offered. "I want to know everything that's going on."

  "Let's meet here in the morning at 7:30, and we'll head over to see him."

  "Fine. "

  "Are you ready to call it a night?" Andy asked Elise.

  "If you are."

  "I'll walk you home. You're planning on staying here until this is over?" Andy asked Trace.

  They had discussed the danger of him living alone that far out of town, and Trace had decided to start sleeping at the office.

  "I'll be bedding down here tonight, so you'll know where I am if you need me."

  "Well see you tomorrow."

  Trace and Elise exchanged a look of longing that was immediately masked when Andy looked their way.

  "Good night," she said in a soft voice, wishing Trace were the one to walk her home and not Andy.

  They left the office and started toward her home. Trace watched them from the door until they were out of sight and then pulled the shades down to give himself some privacy.

  Elise was surprised to find that George's horse was tied up out front as they reached the house.

  "Would you like to come in for a while? It looks as if George is here for a late visit."

  "No, thanks. I'm calling it a night. I'll see you tomorrow."

  Andy watched until she was starting in the front door, then moved off down the street.

  Elise was weary as she entered the house, but her weariness changed to complete and utter surprise when she walked in on her grandmother and George sitting in the parlor, locked in a passionate kiss.

  "Elise!" Claire said her name quickly, nervously, as she hurriedly tore herself from George's embrace.

  "Grandmother?" Elise said in disbelief as she moved farther into the room. Her grandmother was quite a stickler about appearances, and yet, right now, her hair was in disarray and she was blushing.

  "I didn't expect you back quite so soon," Claire blurted out, embarrassed.

  Elise almost said "obviously," but she held her tongue. She only smiled and stared at the two of them.

  Claire was feeling more guilty than a young girl caught with her first beau. She couldn't believe that she felt so young and carefree. "Elise, there's something George and I have to tell you!" she finally said, speaking nervously as she went to her.

  George got to his feet and went to stand at Claire's side. "Yes, there certainly is," he confirmed.

  She looked expectantly at the two of them, scarcely ab
le to imagine what it was they wanted to tell her.

  "Sweetheart," Claire began, casting a loving look at George before continuing, "I am thrilled to tell you that George has proposed, and I've accepted. We're going to be married right away-in fact, tomorrow, if we can arrange it."

  "Married?" Elise repeated, in shock. Not that she shouldn't have expected it. They had been seeing each other for years now. It had just never occurred to her that they were anything but happy with the way things were between them.

  "That's right," George said with pride, slipping an arm around Claire's waist. "I love your grandmother, and this trip that we're going to be taking together made me realize just how much. If we're going to be pretending to be married, I thought for the sake of her _eputetion that I should do the honorable thing, and make sure that we weren't just pretending."

  He smiled down at Claire, and her blush deepened.

  "What are you planning?"

  "We're going to speak with Reverend Ford tomorrow and see if he'll marry us."

  "You are happy for us, aren't you?" Claire asked, worriedly.

  At last, Elise broke into a wide smile. "Of course I'm happy for you. This is wonderful news! I'm just surprised, that's all. I guess it never occurred to me that you two might really get married, but I am thrilled that you are."

  She immediately hugged her grandmother and then embraced George.

  "Thank you, sweetheart," Claire said, tears filling her eyes. "I am so ecstatic. I love George so much."

  She looked up at him, all the love she felt for him shining in the depths of her gaze. Unable to help himself, George kissed her. It was a gentle kiss that spoke of devotion and love.

  "You're making me a very happy man," he told her.

  They shared a secret knowing look.

  "Well, what do you say we go down to the office and tell Trace the good news?" Elise suggested. "I'm sure he's going to be interested in hearing about this."

  "Let's go. I want to tell him," Claire insisted.

  The three of them left the house excitedly. They could hardly wait to let Trace know of the upcoming nuptials.

  Will had waited until the woman and the other man had disappeared from sight before he even thought about venturing into the newspaper office. He'd considered waiting until Trace came out, but as the minutes passed and he'd shown no sign of leaving, Will knew he had to take action. He didn't want anyone to see him standing there in the shad ows and grow suspicious of him.

  As ready as he would ever be, Will headed toward the office. He tried the door and found it unlocked. He was pleased at the discovery, for it meant he would have the element of surprise on his side. He stepped inside and shut the door silently behind him. He wanted to catch Trace unawares.

  Walking softly, Will rested his hand on his gun as he approached the door to the back office.

  "Hello?" he called out, not wanting to seem too sly by his entrance.

  "Who is it?" Trace settled back in at his desk. He'd just set his glasses aside and had opened the bottom desk drawer to get himself a drink when he heard the mans voice. He'd planned to use the whiskey to help him forget about Elise being so close, yet so far away, but now it looked as if he wasn't going to be getting a drink at all. He looked up as Will appeared in his doorway.

  "Hi, Trace," Will said in a slow, easy voice as he came face-to-face with him for the first time.

  "Will?" Trace was surprised to see his old deputy. "Well, I'll be damned. What brings you to Durango?" He smiled widely in welcome.

  "I got your telegram and wanted to come and see how you were doing."

  "I'm glad you did. How are things in Eagle Pass?"

  "Everything's going fine. How are you doing?" he asked. He noticed that Trace wasn't wearing a gun, and he was pleased by that dis covery. The other man hadn't been expecting trouble tonight.

  "Things are better. I own the Star newspaper now, so I don't have to be as worried about confronting outlaws as I used to be." He was surprised by Will's unexpected visit, though, and wondered at the true motivation for it.

  "I'm just glad I found you again. I'd been wondering where you'd disappeared to after our last meeting."

  "I've been working here, keeping quiet about things."

  "So I noticed," he said, irritated that it had taken him this long to find him and correct things.

  "What have you been up to?" Trace asked.

  "Just working, like you."

  "Did you come to town for business or pleasure?"

  "It's going to be a pleasure trip for me, I assure you."

  "Oh?"

  "That's right. I'm going to be very pleased when I'm staring down at your dead body." He drew his gun, fed up with Trace and wanting him out of the way. "Get up real slow, and let's get out of here."

  "You low-life son of a bitch," Trace said in a low, threatening voice, but remained where he was. "Why the hell were you talking to that saloon girl about me?"

  "I was drunk, and I was angry because you weren't dead. I'm going to correct Harris's mistake tonight, though."

  "So you were in on the ambush-" The revelation was a painful one for Trace. He had trusted Will. He had considered him a friend.

  "And the robbery," Will told him as he gave him a smug smile. "A man's got to do what a man's got to do."

  "You're not a man! You're Harris's puppet!" he shot back at Will, his thorough disgust obvious in his tone.

  "I'm my own man," Will told Trace. "And don't you go worrying none about Harris. He doesn't even know I'm here tonight. I'm doing this on my own-cleaning up his mess."

  "So, I'm Harris's `mess', am I?"

  "Yep, so let's go." Will took a step back and gestured toward the door again with his gun.

  Trace's mind was racing. He had never been so glad that he'd been practicing his left-handed draw as he was right then. Will thought he was right-handed, and Will knew he wasn't armed right then. What Will didn't know was that he had Ben's gun in the drawer on his left side, safely tucked away with the bottle of whiskey.

  "Just where is it that we're going?" Trace asked.

  Will smiled thinly. "Quit talking and start moving," he ordered, his gaze narrowing on Trace.

  Trace knew he was staring death in the face. If he walked out of that office, he didn't stand a chance. He had to make his move right then, but as closely as Will was watching him, he didn't know if he would make it or not.

  It was in that instant that main office door was thrown open and Elise came in with her grandmother and George.

  "Trace? Oh, do you have-"

  She stopped the instant she saw the gun.

  Will was startled by the interruption, and he glanced their way.

  It was in that moment, as Will was distracted, that Trace knew he had to make his move. He had no choice. Elise and the others might be hurt if he didn't stop Will now. He grabbed Ben's gun out of the drawer and fired.

  Will was just turning back toward Trace when the bullet took him full in the chest. He got off one shot, but it went wild as he staggered and fell. He was staring at the deadly gun held in Trace's left hand as he collapsed. The look on his face was one of complete shock and disbelief.

  "Trace!" Elise cried out in terror. She ran to him, fearing that he'd been hurt.

  Trace swept her into his embrace and clasped her to him. "You're all right?"

  "I'm fine," she said, trembling as she clung to him. "What about you?"

  "He missed," Trace said tersely. He looked up to where the older man had his arm around Claire, helping to support her. She looked pale and was obviously shaken by the incident. "George?"

  "We're fine, just scared-that's all," George answered, glancing toward the dead man.

  Certain that no one had been hurt, Trace put Elise from him and went to check on Will. He was kneeling down and staring grimly at the lifeless form of the man he'd once believed to be his friend when Jared Trent came charging through the door, his own gun in hand.

  "What's going on? I heard shots." He
stopped immediately at the sight of Trace and the dead man. He slowly holstered his sidearm as he went to kneel beside Trace. "Who was he?"

  "His name was Will Campbell," Trace said slowly. "He was one of my deputies in Eagle Pass. He took over my job when they thought I was dead."

  Elise gasped, shocked by the news. "But why was he trying to kill you?"

  Trace and Jared slowly got to their feet.

  "Evidently he'd been working for Harris, and they still wanted me dead. He said he was here to `clean up Harris's mess'."

  "Oh, God." She looked stricken and went into his arms again.

  George and Claire shared a knowing look as they watched Elise with Trace. They had not realized how much Elise had come to care for him, and they hid their smiles at the thought.

  Marshal Trent looked up at Trace, his expression black. "That explains your posse getting ambushed that way."

  Trace nodded tightly.

  "Exactly what happened tonight?" Jared asked.

  Trace quickly explained all that had taken place. "When Elise came through the door, I had my chance, so I took it."

  "Thank heaven we got here when we did," she said softly.

  The lawman took Will's gun and went through his pockets. He found his sheriffs badge and muttered something unintelligible under his breath.

  Trace pulled out of Elise's embrace and he went to see what Trent had found.

  "It's his kind that give lawmen a bad name in some towns,"Jared said as he stood up again and showed him the badge. "I'll go tell the undertaker that he's here and have him come for him."

  "How do you want to handle notifying Eagle Pass?"

  "I'll take care of it," the lawman said. "How much time do you need to set up the gang?"

  "Another week."

  "You've got it. For now, as far as anyone knows, he was a drifter who broke in and tried to rob you. Report it that way in the paper. Word will get out, so you'll have to write something."

  They all nodded in agreement.

  Jared left to notify Jehosaphat Jones, the undertaker. Trace and the others waited in the outer office. A short time later, Mr. Jones arrived and removed the body. Elise and Claire looked the other way as he was carried from the office. Only when the undertaker had driven off with the body in his wagon did they all breathe a sigh of relief.